Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS - Episode 023
| romaji = Genomu no Kyojin | japanese translated = Genome's Giant | english = A Grim Tale | japanese air date = October 18, 2017 | english air date =November 17, 2018 | japanese opening = With The Wind | english opening = Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS Theme | japanese ending = Believe In Magic | english ending = | screenwriter = Shoji Yonemura | director = Ryuta Yamamoto | storyboard artist = Eran | animation director = Gill Bo No }} "A Grim Tale", known as "Genome's Giant" in the Japanese version, is the twenty-third episode of the Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS anime. It first aired in Japan on October 18, 2017. It became available with official subtitles via Crunchyroll on the same day. and aired on Teletoon on November 17, 2018. Featured Duel: The Gore vs Dr. Genome The Duel is conducted as a Speed Duel. Turn 1: Dr. Genome As Genome controls no monsters, he discards a "Helixx" card to Normal Summon "Helixx Marmotroll" (2600/0) without Tributing. Once per turn, Genome takes no battle damage involving "Marmotroll". Turn 2: The Gore The Gore Normal Summons "Gouki Suprex" (1800/0). As it was Normal Summoned, The Gore activates its effect to Special Summon a "Gouki" monster from his hand. He Special Summons "Gouki Twistcobra" (1600/0). The Gore activates the effect of "Gouki Headbatt" (800/0) in his hand, sending another "Gouki" monster from his hand to the GY, to Special Summon it in Defense Position, then increasing a "Gouki" monster's ATK by 800. He sends "Gouki Riscorpio" and targets "Suprex" ("Suprex": 1800 → 2600 ATK). The Gore uses "Headbatt", "Twistcobra", and "Suprex" to Link Summon "Gouki Thunder Ogre" (2200/LINK-3/↙↑↘) to the Extra Monster Zone. As "Headbatt", "Twistcobra", and "Suprex" were sent from the field to the GY, The Gore activates their effects, to each add a "Gouki" card from his Deck to his hand. He adds three unknown "Gouki" cards. The Gore equips "Thunder Ogre" with "Gouki Dark Mask". Up to twice per turn, if the equipped monster's effect activates, "Dark Mask" inflicts 500 damage to Genome, and as long as "Dark Mask" is on the field, The Gore cannot Link Summon. The Gore activates the Spell Card "Gouki Poison Mist", inflicting 700 damage to Genome (Genome: 4000 → 3300 LP). The effect of "Thunder Ogre" allows the turn player to Normal Summon a monster to a zone it points to in addition to their Normal Summon/Set. Since the only monsters he controls are "Gouki" monsters, The Gore Normal Summons "Gouki Riscorpio" (2300/0) without Tributing. "Riscorpio" attacks "Marmotroll", with "Riscorpio" being destroyed (Go: 4000 → 3700 LP). As a monster it points to was destroyed, The Gore activates the effect of "Thunder Ogre", increasing its ATK by 400 ("Thunder Ogre": 2200 → 2600 ATK). As the effect of "Thunder Ogre" was activated, the effect of "Dark Mask" activates, inflicting 500 damage to Genome (Genome: 3300 → 2800 LP). As "Riscorpio" left the field, The Gore activates its effect, to add a "Gouki" card from his Deck to his hand. He adds "Twistcobra". The Gore activates his Skill "Fighting Spirit", to Special Summon all "Gouki" monsters that were destroyed by battle this turn. He Special Summons "Riscorpio". "Riscorpio" attacks "Marmotroll", with "Riscorpio" being destroyed (Go: 3700 → 3400 LP). The Gore activates the effect of "Thunder Ogre" ("Thunder Ogre": 2600 → 3000 ATK), and then the effect of "Dark Mask" activates (Genome: 2800 → 2300 LP). "Thunder Ogre" attacks and destroys "Marmotroll", with the effect of the latter reducing battle damage to 0. Turn 3: Dr. Genome Genome activates the Spell Card "Graveyard Incubation", Special Summoning 2 "Hellix" monsters with the same name from his GY with their effects negated and their ATK and DEF reduced to 0. He Special Summons two copies of "Marmotroll" (Both "Marmotroll": 2600 → 0 ATK). Genome uses both copies of "Marmotroll" to Link Summon "Helixx Gothiclone" (0/LINK-2/↑↓) to the Extra Monster Zone. As there is a Link Monster on Genome's field, he Normal Summons "Helixx Dreadrat" (1200/2000) without Tributing. Genome Sets a card. "Gothiclone" attacks "Thunder Ogre". The effect of "Gothiclone" makes its ATK equal to the monster it is battling ("Gothiclone": 0 → 3000 ATK) until the End Phase, while its other effect prevents "Gothiclone" from being destroyed by battle once per turn. The effect of "Dark Mask" prevents the equipped monster from being destroyed by battle or card effect once per turn. As "Gothiclone" was not destroyed by battle as a result of its effect, Genome activates its effect, Tributing a monster it points to to inflict damage to The Gore equal to the Tributed monster's ATK. Genome Tributes "Dreadrat" (Go: 3400 → 2200 LP). Turn 4: The Gore As all monsters he controls are "Gouki" monsters, The Gore Normal Summons "Riscorpio" (2300/0) without Tributing. The effect of "Thunder Ogre" allows The Gore to Normal Summon "Twistcobra" to a zone "Thunder Ogre" points to. The Gore activates the effect of "Twistcobra", Tributing a "Gouki" monster to increase the ATK of a "Gouki" monster he controls equal to the Tributed monster's ATK until the End Phase. He Tributes "Riscorpio" and targets "Thunder Ogre" ("Thunder Ogre": 3000 → 5300 ATK). As "Riscorpio" was sent from the field to the GY, The Gore activates its effect to add a "Gouki" card from his Deck to his hand. He adds "Gouki Serpent Splash", and subsequently activates it to inflict damage equal to the difference between the original and current ATK of a "Gouki" monster. He targets "Thunder Ogre", but Genome activates his face-down Trap Card "Regeneration Cure" to reduce the effect damage to 0 and Special Summon a "Helixx Token" (0/0). Turn 5: Dr. Genome Genome activates the effect of "Dreadrat" in the GY, to Special Summon it (1200/2000), but it is banished when it leaves the field. Genome uses "Dreadrat" and the "Helixx Token" to Link Summon "Helixx Necro Darwin" (1800/LINK-2/←↑). While "Necro Darwin" is co-linked, it cannot be attacked. "Necro Darwin" attacks and destroys "Twistcobra" (Go: 2200 → 2000 LP). As "Twistcobra" was sent to the GY, The Gore activates its effect to add "Gouki Octostretch" from his Deck to his hand. As the "Twistcobra" that "Thunder Ogre" points to was destroyed by battle, The Gore activates its effect to increase its ATK by 400 ("Thunder Ogre": 3000 → 3400 ATK), then the effect of "Dark Mask" follows, but Genome activates the effect of "Necro Darwin" to reduce that damage to 0, and double its ATK until the end of the turn ("Necro Darwin": 1800 → 3600 ATK). "Gothiclone" attacks "Thunder Ogre", with the effect of the former making its ATK equal to the monster it is battling ("Gothiclone": 0 → 3400 ATK), while the effects of "Gothiclone" and "Dark Mask" prevent them from being destroyed by battle. As "Gothiclone" was not destroyed by battle as a result of its effect, Genome activates its effect to Tribute a monster it points to to inflicts damage to The Gore equal to the Tributed monster's ATK. Genome Tributes "Necro Darwin", but The Gore activates the effect of "Octostretch" in his hand, discarding it to halve the damage (Go: 2000 → 200 LP). Featured cards The following cards appeared in this episode. Cards in italics debuted here.